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A correction. This episode will be in three parts after all. I found a natural pause in the narrative. So here is the middle part.......





Fade to Aragorn’s tent on the Pelennor. We see Imrahil and Eomer walk up and enter it. Cut to inside the tent and seats are in a half circle. Gandalf is already seated in the centre and Aragorn indicates courteously places for the sons of Elrond, Imrahil and Eomer. He finally sits next to Gandalf.

Gandalf: ‘My lords, Denethor looked into the Seeing-Stone and saw truly that there can be no victory against the forces of Mordor. We have barely beaten off the first assault and the next will be greater. Prudence would tell us to strengthen our fortresses for we cannot defeat him in the field.’

Imrahil: ‘Would you have us as children sitting on sandcastles waiting for the tide?’

Gandalf: ‘Have you done little more in all the days of Denethor? But into all these troubles comes the Ring of Power. The Ring that Sauron used to create the foundations of Barad dur; the Ring that he poured much of his strength into. Denethor thought that Sauron had found the Ring and so he despaired but I believe this is not so. Were that true then Mordor would already have overthrown us. I think that Frodo still bears the Ring somewhere and that hope remains for a while. Sauron thinks that one of the captains of the West has it and he looks for strife between us. He has seen the fall of Saruman and the destruction of the Lord of the Nazgul. In his Seeing-Stone he will have seen the death of Denethor. Aragorn revealed himself in it as the heir of Isildur with the Sword reforged. His Eye will be upon us ceaselessly looking for signs. We must keep his Eye on us and away from his own realm where his true danger lies.
We must push him to his last throw and make him empty his lands. We must march out as if to assault Mordor. He will think we do so in arrogance trusting to the power of the Ring and he will spring a trap on us to seize it back. We must walk into that trap with open eyes.’
A moment of silence.

Aragorn: ‘Now we come to the very brink where hope and despair are akin. You must choose your paths for I do not yet claim to command.’

Eomer: ‘As Aragorn saved my people, so shall I aid him.’

Imrahil: ‘I hold you to be my liege lord and I will follow you. But for the moment I act as Steward of the City. It must be secured against all chances.’

Aragorn: ‘New strength is on its way from the south. Before I left Pelagir I set Angbor marching with four thousand men. They will be here within two days. When they come I judge we could lead out nine thousand men of Gondor and Rohan and still leave the City in better defence than before.’

Imrahil laughs bitterly: ‘This is the greatest jest in the long history of Gondor! A force less than the vanguard of our army in the days of our power. So might a child threaten a mail-clad knight with a bow of green willow.’

Aragorn rising: ‘If this be jest it is too bitter for laughter.’ The camera follows as he walks to Anduril resting on a sword stand. He buckles it to his belt. ‘Anduril will not leave my side till the last battle is fought.’ Fade to black.

Fade in to a dark narrow road between cliff and precipice. Cut to the two hobbits sitting behind their orc shields, huddled against the cliff. We hear the pounding of feet. Cut to a column of orcs hurrying to camera and bearing torches in the dark. Cut to the orcs rushing past the two small figures. Cut to the tall whip bearing orc at the back starting to get further away from them. Sam starts to move and the orc looks back at them and calls out: ‘Halt!’ He walks back to the two and flicks a whip at them.

Orc: ‘No time for slouching or were you trying to desert? You lot should be at the Gate by now. Get up and fall in and not at the back either.’
As the hobbits rise, bent down to hide their features he whips them again.
Cut to Frodo and Sam staggering and running in a daze, in the column of orcs.

Cut to the orc-driver at the back: ‘You’ll get as much lash as your skin can carry when we get to the camp!’ Cut to the hobbit feet running among the orc legs and the sound of gasping. Cut to a long shot of the orc-column approaching a meeting of roads. Beyond is a great wall stretching across a narrowing valley. Other bands of orcs can be seen approaching the crossroads from other directions.
Cut to a confused and noisy meeting of different armoured orcs and scuffles developing. Cut to Sam and Frodo near a low parapet. As a fight breaks out in front of them Sam pushes Frodo over the edge then rolls over himself. The camera rises slowly from the empty parapet to show in the distance in the dark of the night a residual red glow lighting up the topmost cone of the volcano and the plume of smoke above it. Slowly the spinning fiery circle materialises and frames the volcano. The volcano gradually fades to black just leaving the burning circle in the dark.

Dissolve and the circle fades over two pairs of hobbit feet on cobbles in bright sunshine.The camera pulls back to show Merry and Pippin embracing. Pippin is in armour and Merry watches as he departs. Cut to a troop of pikemen in a street with Beregond at the head. Bergil stands nearby among the onlookers. Pippin hurries up and after embracing Bergil he takes his place in the troop. Beregond waves to his son then gives the signal to march and the troop starts to a drumbeat. Cut to Bergil’s face as he waves proudly. Cut to Bergil helping a shaky Merry up the steps to the Houses of Healing.
As they ascend we hear Aragorn’s soft voice: ‘Pippin shall go to represent the Shire. Do not grudge him his peril Merry for he has yet to match your deed.’
Cut to Merry’s sombre face and Bergil’s sympathetic one as Aragorn’s voice continues: ‘We may come to a bitter end before the Black Gate of Mordor and then you will also come to a last stand wherever the black tide overtakes you.’

Bergil: ‘Do not fear. They have the Lord Elfstone now – and Beregond of the Guard.’

The climax gets closer still with the ending of this episode................


Cut to a view of the Pelennor from high up on the City walls. Tiny masses of men wheel and form columns leaving along the road. Fade to the last column disappearing into a haze.
Cut to Aragorn and Gandalf riding into the circle of the Crossroads in Ithilien. Aragorn looks up at the trees and around and signals with his hand. Brief cuts to a soldier pushing the grotesque head off the statue of the king, men washing graffiti off stonework and a soldier putting more flowers around the restored head of the king.
Cut to the Captains unmounted.
Imrahil: ‘The Morgul vale is at hand and its master destroyed. Surely that pass will prove an easier entry to Mordor than the Black Gate to the north.’

Gandalf shakes his head urgently: ‘On no account should we draw his Eye thither. Faramir told us that the Ring-bearer was intent upon that path.’

Aragorn: ‘Nevertheless I will set men to guard the road and to throw down the bridge. I wish for no sudden force to fall upon our rear.’ As he finishes speaking we see briefly mounted men by the demolished bridge that leads to the sinister Morgul tower. Men are lighting bonfires along the banks of the river.
Cut to a long view of the Gondor army stretched out along the landscape of Ithilien. Cut to heralds sounding their long trumpets with a waterfall in the distance. Cut to tiny figures of the Nazgul wheeling high in the sky by the peaks. Cut to the first of the army riding among sparse scrubby bushes at the beginning of the Desolation. Wind blows dust from small mounds and we hear the wind droning. Cut to a slow pan of the Desolation that we saw on Frodo’s journey. The camera pauses on the two small hills that have broad slimy mud pools in front of them. It moves on until it looks upon the Black Gate and its towers across a broad plain. A few cuts to Nazgul upon their beasts perched on pinnacles of rock.
Cut as the camera tracks along the ranked faces of boy soldiers looking terrified. Some are crying. Cut to Aragorn resting his hand on the shoulder of one as he addresses the troop. Aragorn: ‘Keep your honour and do not run. Cair Andros in the River is still held by the Enemy. Retake it if you can and hold it to the last in defence of Gondor and Rohan.’
Cut to Aragorn watching with compassion as the troop marches away. The camera pulls back to show some still standing by him.
Cut to several brief shots of eyes looking out; from slit windows, from cave entrances, from the slits in grotesque helmets, the blank hoods of the Nazgul and the beady vulture eyes. Cut to the boiling black clouds around Barad dur. They break to show a tall tower bearing a red dot. The dot swells to form the red cat-eye of Sauron until it fills half the screen.
Cut to men arraying themselves in ranks. Cut back to show a hill filling with men. Cut to a longer shot and the two hills are filled with the armies of Gondor and Rohan. Their banners fly briskly. Wind blows ripples across the shallow oily marsh.
Cut to a long view from above as if from the Black Gate as an armed party rides out and halts halfway across the plain. We can make out the white robes of Gandalf. Cut to the arch of the gate with its heraldic Eye and the line of severed heads on spikes. A moment of stillness and silence. The riveted Gate opens a fraction. Cut to ground level and a dark figure rides slowly out in front of an escort. Cut and we see past Gandalf in the foreground to the Mordor embassy halting in the middle ground. Two figures come forward. Cut to a mounted figure bearing a richly worked Eye on his breast and a concoction of black feathers on his head. Cut to a close-up of an immensely old and wrinkled face with bright black malicious eyes.
A brief cut to the mounted Captains of the West together with Legolas and Gimli. Pippin sits on Imrahil’s saddle. Gandalf and Aragorn are at the front.

Cut back to the close-up of the Mordor figure. His yellow teeth show.
‘I am the Mouth of Sauron. Is there anyone in this rout with the wit to understand me? Not you at least; a piece of Elvish glass gives you no authority.’
Cut to Aragorn lowering his brow. Cut to his horse moving forward slightly.
Cut back to the Mouth of Sauron: ‘You may not assail me. I am an ambassador.’

Cut to Gandalf, drily: ‘It is the custom for ambassadors to use less insolence.’

Cut to the Mouth of Sauron: ‘So the greybeard is your spokesman. We know you well, always hatching plots at a safe distance. You have stretched out your nose too close this time. My Master bade me show to you in particular some tokens.’ He starts to open a bundle of cloth on his saddle. He lifts up a small leaf-shaped sword. His yellow teeth widen into a grin. Then he lifts up a grey cloak and shows off the Elf-brooch. Then he stares fixedly at the Captains as he lifts up the shimmering coat of mithril and shakes it. We hear the soft tinkling.
Cut to Pippin mounted before Imrahil. He sobs aloud.

Cut to Gandalf turning and hissing: ‘Silence!’

Cut back to the Mouth of Sauron and he feigns sympathy: ‘Oh so you have another of these rats with you? To send them into Mordor as spies is beyond even your folly.’ Cut briefly to Legolas and Gimli looking crushed.
Cut back: ‘Still at least he has seen these tokens before so I thank him.’
Cut again to Pippin and he holds his hand to his mouth in anguish.
Cut back again: ‘Dwarf-coat, Elf-buckle and a knife out of the drowned West’ He wraps up the bundle again.’…. and a spy from the rat-land of Shire.’ He grins again.’Oh yes, we know it well now. Sauron does not love spies and his fate depends on your choice. Accept the terms of Lord Sauron the Great or he will endure the slow torment of years; as slow as we can contrive.’
Cut to Pippin looking up at Gandalf.

Cut to Gandalf: ‘So rather than fight a war to gain his terms your Master would offer but one small servant? Has his hope of victory fallen so low that he stoops to haggling? Yield the prisoner to us and we will consider.’

Cut to the Mouth of Sauron: ‘Lord Sauron gives no surety. Take his terms or leave them.’
Cut to a medium view of both embassies. Gandalf rides forward suddenly and Shadowfax rears up over the Mouth of Sauron in a burst of light.
Cut to Gandalf riding back to the Captains bearing up the bundle.

Shadowfax turns and Gandalf faces the Mordor embassy: ‘I take these in memory of our friend but we reject any terms utterly. Death is near you!’
Cut to the spittle flecked Mouth of Sauron. He snarls and turns and gestures with his arm and breaks into a gallop back.
Cut to the rusty gate widening as we hear instruments braying and drums beating. Several brief scenes of the Nazgul beasts stretching out their bare wings and launching themselves off the pinnacles.
Cut to the Captains galloping back to the fortified hills. Cut to Beregond in front of a line of spearmen. Pippin comes up and looks up helplessly at him. Beregond grips his shoulder in support then Pippin goes behind and makes a stand in a space in the line. Cut to the Nazgul wheeling in the sky as we hear a massive hoarse roaring. Cut to a great army forming on the plain before the Gate. But in front is a long line of trolls bearing hammers. They roar together once more then break into a run.
Cut to black.
Closing credits.

The climactic episode!



A dark screen and a steady overlapping rhythmic sound. The screen lightens to show an aerial scene above clouds. The camera travels over pink-blushed cotton wool cloud tops then plunges into mist while the rhythmic sounds continue. The opening credits start; JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Episode Twenty Eight: The Crack of Doom etc. As they run we cut to a view from high above the edges of the Golden Wood as it borders the River. Black smoke and flames rise from the mallorn trees. Fade to the Argonath passing underneath. Fade to Tol Brandir and the Falls of Anduin.
Cut to Faramir sitting on a stone bench by a low wall in the sun. He is covered by blankets and furs and is looking out over the Pelennor. He looks up as the Warden comes into shot. The Warden bows his head to Faramir.
Warden: ‘Lord Steward, the lady Eowyn of Rohan has asked to speak to you. She is not content in my care.’ Faramir looks around.
Cut to Eowyn, her arm in a sling, approaching. She drops a slight curtsy.

Eowyn: ‘Lord Steward, I have no lack of care here but I cannot lie caged and idle. I looked for death in battle and failed and the battle goes on.’ Cut to Faramir. He frowns in thought and gestures discreetly for the Warden to leave. He gestures gracefully to a space on his bench.
Cut to Eowyn seated at the far end of the bench. Cut briefly to Faramir looking her up and down with concern. Cut to them both.

Faramir: ‘What would you have me do?’ He smiles ruefully and indicates his warm coverings. ’I also am a prisoner of these healers. If it lies within my power I shall do it. But if it were me then I would listen to the Warden and respect his skill.’

Cut to Eowyn looking down and not meeting his eye: ‘I do not desire healing. I wish to ride to war like Theoden for he died and has now both peace and honour.’

Cut to Faramir looking carefully at her: ‘It is too late for the Captains have left. But death may still come to us all and you and I must endure the wait with patience.’

Cut to Eowyn still not meeting his face and now looking away: ‘But they would have me in my room for seven more days.’ She dabs at her nose. ‘And my window does not face eastward.’ She looks up at him at last and half laughs and half cries at herself.

Cut to Faramir smiling: ‘Then I will command the warden to give you such a room. And I will tell him as well to let you walk here in the gardens where I too look eastwards. It would ease my own cares if you could walk and speak with me a little.’

Cut to Eowyn looking unsure and withdrawing into herself: ‘I do not desire the speech of living men. How could I ease your cares?’

Cut to Faramir gazing clear eyed at her: ‘I will give you a plain answer. Lady Eowyn, I say to you that you are beautiful. We may have only a few days before the darkness overwhelms us. It would ease my heart if I could see you while the sun still shines. We have both fallen under the Shadow and the same hand drew us back.’

Cut to Eowyn rising and shaking her head: ‘Shadow lies on me still. Do not look to me for healing. But I thank you for allowing me to leave my room and walk. I shall do so.’ She gives a brief curtsey again still avoiding his eyes and turns to go. Cut to Faramir watching her go.
A few fades to medium distance scenes of the two walking among topiary gardens and looking out over the walls into the distance.
Cut to a closer view of the two looking out over the wall. Eowyn is now in a deep blue cloak with white fur trimmings and a pattern of tiny silver stars and she stands a little closer to him. Their hair blows in the wind and we can hear it gust.

Eowyn: ‘It is seven days since he rode away.’

Faramir looks at Eowyn: ‘I would not have this world end now and lose what I have found.’

Cut to Eowyn. She turns and looks steadily at him with kindness: ‘My friend, there is nothing you have found that you could lose. But I cannot turn yet. I stand upon the brink and wait for some stroke of doom.’
Cut to a view of the two from behind. The wind drops and there is silence. Cut to the distant thin line of black mountains. A bank of black cloud behind the peaks swells slowly. The camera pans left and the bank of cloud rises up into a tall black cone. We can just make out the top flickering with lightning. Cut to the backs of the two looking out.

Faramir: ‘This is like the dreams of the great wave that disturb my sleep. The great wave that drowned Westernesse. A great wall of water climbing up over green field and mountain, covering all in darkness inescapable.’
Eowyn’s hand creeps along the parapet and seizes Faramir’s fiercely. The camera pulls into the two hands and Eowyn’s hand grips his as hard as she can.

Cut to several scaled trolls splashing through thick mud, waving their war hammers and roaring.
Cut to a close up of Pippin’s face: ‘I hope Merry finds an easier end. Now I have to do my best. I wish I could see green grass again before I die.’
Cut to one mud splattered troll roaring as it climbs up the slope. Spears push at it uselessly as it smashes shields and helmets with its hammer. Swords bounce off it. Cut to Beregond striking a blow at it. The troll pushes away the sword and hammers Beregond to the ground. It bends forward, its fangs close to Beregond’s throat. Cut to a different angle and Pippin runs out from his line and puts his sword point against the troll’s belly and pushes up with all his force. He pulls his sword out and black blood gushes out over him. The troll straightens up and staggers and falls on him. Cut to black with tiny chinks of light.
Pippin’s stifled voice: ‘Help! I can’t move. I can’t breathe!’ A pause. ‘So it ends then as I guessed.’
Fade to complete black and silence. The fiery spinning wheel takes form in the dark.

Here is the middle part ot he episode. I will start off with a few lines from the last post just to set the scene........



The troll straightens up and staggers and falls on him. Cut to black with tiny chinks of light.
Pippin’s stifled voice: ‘Help! I can’t move. I can’t breathe!’ A pause. ‘So it ends then as I guessed.’
Fade to complete black and silence. The fiery spinning wheel takes form in the dark.
Dissolve from the spinning circle into a grey daylight scene of the parapet at the crossroads in Mordor where Frodo and Sam escaped. In the distance over a grey and dun cracked and fissured plain we see the volcano. Its plume of smoke is subdued and drifting in a wind. The camera starts to travel over the plain. It comes up to Frodo and Sam moving furtively across the broken ground. Sam stops Frodo.

Sam: ‘Why not lighten our load a bit? ‘

Frodo looks forward at the volcano: ‘No, we shan’t need much for this road: and at the end, nothing.’ He takes off his orc helmet and sword and walks to a deep fissure and drops them in with the shield. ‘I’ll be an orc no more nor bear any weapon fair or foul.’
Cut to Sam dropping his gear in too except for Sting which still hangs by his side.. He opens his pack and looks wistfully at his pans.

Sam: ‘Do you remember the rabbit I cooked? In Ithilien where we saw the oliphaunt?’

Frodo: ‘No Sam, no taste of food, no feel of water, no sound of wind, no memory of tree or grass or flower. No image of moss or star are left to me. I am naked in the dark and there is no veil between me and the wheel of fire. I see it even with my waking eyes and all else fades.’ Sam looks at his pans and drops them straight into the fissure and turns.

Sam: ‘Then the sooner we are rid of it the better.’
Cut to a rocky dip in fading light. Frodo is asleep and Sam sits up against a ridge. Cut to a close-up of his face. His eyes are almost slits and he licks his cracked lips.
Sam: ‘No more water nor scarce any food. So this is the job I felt I had to do when I started. To get Mr Frodo to the last step then die with him. Very well then. But I would dearly love to see Rosie again. I’ll never see my poor old Gaffer again nor the Bywater pool. Things went wrong as soon as we lost Gandalf. Still one more day should do it.’
Sam’s face stays still but we hear his voice.

Sam’s voice: ‘Don’t be a fool. He can’t go on another day like that. Nor you now you’ve given him all the water and most of the food.’

Sam mutters to answer himself: ‘I can go a long way though.’

The voice continues: ‘What then? What will you do?’

Sam: ‘I don’t know exactly. The Crack of Doom I suppose wherever it is.’

The voice: ‘There! It’s all useless. He said so himself. You could have lain down and slept days ago. You’ll die just the same, or worse. You might as well give up now. You’ll never get to the top anyway.’

Sam sets his jaw: ‘I’ll get there if I leave all but my bones behind. I’ll carry him up myself even if it breaks my back and my heart. So. Stop. Arguing!’
Cut to the volcano in the dark. It trembles and spews red sparks in the night and rumbles.
Cut back to Sam and he rests his head back against the rock and his eyes flicker then he brings his head back and opens his eyes and a smile spreads across his face.
Cut to a solitary bright star in the black sky. Cut back to Sam smiling.
Sam, softly to himself: ‘The Shadow will pass one day. Up there is light and beauty beyond its reach for ever.’ Still smiling he drifts off to sleep.
Cut to the star again.
Cut to hazy light with smokes drifting down the mountain slope. Small in the distance we see Frodo and Sam on the mountain. Cut to a close view and they are coughing. Frodo stumbles and starts crawling. He looks up at Sam

Frodo: ‘I can’t manage it Sam. It’s such a weight on me.’

Sam kneels by him: ‘I could carry it for you gladly.’
Frodo rolls away from him on to his back; his eyes are wild.

Frodo: ‘No! Don’t touch me! It is mine. No, oh no Sam. It is my burden. It is too late. If you tried to take it I should go mad.’

Sam: ‘I understand a bit now Mr Frodo. Come, I can’t carry it for you I know. But I can carry you. So up you get. Come on, Sam will give you a pig-a-back. Just tell him where to go.’
Cut to Sam with Frodo clinging to his back getting gradually up a slope.. Cut to a long view of the two, tiny on the mountain. Cut to Sam tumbled over and Frodo clambering free. From the background we can see they are high up now.

Frodo with a hoarse voice: ‘How far is there to go?’

Sam, equally hoarse: ‘I don’t know where we are going.’ Both their heads sink down in exhaustion. Sam looks up again. He stands and looks about.
Sam: ‘Look, there’s some sort of road or path up there.’ Cut briefly to a road rising and circling around the mountain. Cut back to Frodo and Sam looking exhausted. Then they both look at each other suddenly.

Frodo: ‘Now or it will be too late!’ Sam nods and they rise together. Cut to them trudging up an ash road. Beyond the slopes of the mountain black clouds boil and twist in the distance. Cut to Frodo’s face, wide eyed and aghast. Cut to the boiling clouds and a tall black tower appears. A single intense red dot glows from the top.

Cut to Sauron’s platform on Barad dur. The bulky shape of Sauron is bent over the glowing Seeing-Stone. We hear the sleek confident voice again.
Sauron: ‘Finally thou art in my grasp.’
Cut to Frodo writhing on the road and clasping at his neck.

Frodo: ‘Help me Sam! Help me! Hold my hand. I can’t stop it! His Eye! His Eye!’ Sam kneels down and takes Frodo’s hands between his and kisses them.
Cut back to Sauron’s clawed and maimed hands grasping the stone and the reflection of his red cat-eye in it. The camera comes closer and we see in it a view of Aragorn standing by his banner bearing aloft a shining white sword.
Cut to Sam struggling with Frodo on his back again between tall twisting shapes of cooled lava. He looks up in surprise and a shape falls on them.
Cut to Sam with Sting in his hand looking down helplessly. Cut to Frodo and Gollum rolling over and over together until Frodo frantically throws Gollum flying. Frodo rises and walks stiff-legged to the wretched Gollum and points down at him. Frodo’s other hand clutches at his breast.

Frodo in a commanding voice: ‘Down you creeping thing! Out of my path! Your time is at an end.’ Cut to Sam looking and frowning. Cut back to Frodo. Before him is a whirling circle of fire and Frodo’s voice comes distantly: ‘You cannot betray me now. If you touch me ever again you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom.’ The burning circle fades away and Frodo slumps and pants. Sam walks between the two with Sting in his hand.

Sam: ‘Look out or he’ll spring. Quick, go on. I’ll deal with this one.’

Frodo sounding dazed: ‘Yes, I must go on. Farewell my dearest Sam. This is the end at last.’ He walks away steadily.

Cut to Sam looking down with loathing: ‘Now, I’ve been waiting for this moment.’ He raises Sting.

Cut to a wretched Gollum grovelling and weeping: ‘Don’t kill us. Don’t hurt us with nasty cruel steel. Let us live a little longer. When Precious goes we’ll die, yes die into dust. Smeagol is so very weary.’

Cut to Sam raising Sting again to kill then he pauses. He raises it a second time then shakes his head: ‘I can’t do it. I bore it for a while and I can see now. Be off you skulking thing! I don’t trust you but be off or yes, I will hurt you.’
Cut to Sam aiming a kick at Gollum who scuttles away. Sam watches then sheathes Sting then remembers Frodo and runs off.
Cut to Sam at the end of the path that passes into a plain massive trilithon doorway in a sheer rock wall. Red flickers come from within. Sam pauses and peers inside then enters.

Cut to a long shot of the Gondor and Rohan armies beleaguered by the forces of Mordor. The Nazgul swoop and circle above their heads. Cut to a view of the battle area and the Black Gate from high above. The camera starts to drop to the ground at speed. Cut to a magnificent fierce eagle’s head with clouds blurring past behind it. Cut to a huge golden brown shape striking a Nazgul beast and a flurry of wings in mid air. Cut to a view of scores of eagles in the air, some already diving down. Cut to a warrior calling out: ‘Eagles! The Eagles are coming!’
Cut to a vast eagle snatching up two orcs and casting them on the ground. Cut to the Nazgul flying at speed towards the Black Gate.
Cut to Gandalf and Aragorn standing calmly together. Gandalf raises his arms in the air.

Gandalf: ‘Stand men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of Doom!’
Cut to the sky above the summits of Mordor on one side of the Gate. Into the sky a vast black swirling cloud rises up and takes the form of a figure. A red glow like an eye is at the head. Lightnings play around the head and are reflected in the churning black clouds. An arm forms and stretches out with a claw at the end. Cut to the Men of the West looking up in horror.

Cut to Sam in a dark tunnel whose walls flicker red.
‘Frodo?’
He pulls out the small glass phial. It glows faintly then is extinguished and he puts it back. We hear a deep throbbing rumble. Another flare of red and Sam calls out: ‘Master!’
Cut to the length of the tunnel and at the end a small straight silhouette against the red glare. Cut to a closer view and we see at Frodo’s feet a circular well whose sides move with red light.. Cut to Frodo holding up the Ring. It glows bright red. Cut to Frodo’s face, orange in the light. He looks up with a cold intensity.

Frodo: ‘I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is mine!’

Cut to Sam: ‘No Master! No! Please don’t!’
Cut to Frodo still looking calm and cold. He puts the Ring on his finger and vanishes.
Cut to the figure of Sauron still bent over the Stone, Suddenly he stiffens and straightens. He swings his body around the Stone to look in a different direction. Cut to a view of Mount Doom from his tower. An extreme fast zoom takes us into the chamber and Frodo seen in the Spirit-World, the Ring throbbing white on his outstretched hand.
Cut back to Sauron on the platform and we hear a tremendous animal bellow. The stonework shakes. Cut to the Nazgul flying in V formation at speed as the bellow continues. Cut to the distant view of Barad dur and its tower and the terrible Eye fills half the screen. Now we hear a deep fast heartbeat.
Cut to Sam still in anguish. He seems to be pushed violently forward. Cut and we see Gollum bound over Sam’s prone body then hop and run towards the round hole in the floor. The fast heartbeat continues. Gollum halts and looks around and stretches out his arms till he catches hold of something. He springs and twists and falls to the ground. He appears to be wrestling. He rises up gripping something near to his face. Cut to a close-up of his wide open mouth with sharp fangs. The image is akin to Goya’s painting of Saturn devouring his children. The jaws snap shut and Frodo’s arm appears. Cut to Frodo collapsing on his hands and knees. He cries out in pain and deep loss. Gollum is dancing and holding up a finger in the air that bears a burning gold Ring. He throws the finger down.

Gollum singing: ‘Precious, precious, oh my precious.’ He looks up at it in ecstacy. Then his dance changes to slow motion and we hear Frodo’s voice from a distance.
Frodo: ‘I mean a danger for you alone. You swore an oath by the Precious. It will hold you to it but it will twist you.’

Then we hear Gollum’s distant voice: ‘ Smeagol will swear on the Precious that he will never, never let Him have it. Never! Smeagol will save it’

Cut to Gollum’s face from above looking up at the Ring in joy, still in slow motion. His face changes slowly to fear.
Cut to his foot on the edge and the edge crumbles. Cut to Gollum still in slow motion falling out over the edge and catching the light from below.
Cut to the immensely deep narrow pit seen from above and its disc of red fire at the bottom. Gollum tumbles slowly and grows smaller. We finally see his shadow against the red like a simulacrum of Sauron's Eye.
A final ‘My Precious!’ echoes while the Ring glows like a white hot ingot in his hand.
Cut to the chamber and a flame flies up from the pit and hits the roof. Sam ducks and runs and raises Frodo in a fireman’s lift and runs away.
Cut to Barad dur and the wind strips the clouds from it. Cut to a near view of the massive sloping black foundations. Cut to a close-up of the black stonework. A network of cracks spreads across it. The stones start to pour away like dry black sand. Cut to a view of the whole complex and roofs tumble inwards and towers topple towards each other and walls belly out.
Cut to an even longer view and spirals of smoke spin into tornadoes then twist together to form a single monumental trunk of whirling cloud. The camera pans up and the cloud has taken the form of a figure. Lightnings burst around its head and a red glow forms its eye. An arm takes shape and it reaches out with a long black claw at the end. Then it starts to bend in the wind and it loses its shape and breaks up into long shreds. We hear a long sigh. Cut to the final shreds evaporating in the sky.
Cut to the Nazgul flying desperately. One by one they frizzle up into flames and spin down into swirls of fiery motes. Fade out to black.

Suitable music now would be the soft start to the Lachrymosa of Mozart's Requiem.
Fade in and zoom gradually in to Sam cradling and rocking Frodo in his arms at the very end of an out thrust spur from the volcano, not dissimilar to the spur at Minas Tirith. Smokes swirl past them and small cinders rattle down.
Frodo: ‘Sam I am glad you are with me at the end of all things. Let us forgive Gollum. I couldn’t have done it without him. The Quest would have failed at the bitter end.’

Sam: ‘But it’s not like me to give up if you understand.’

Frodo: ‘Maybe not but it’s like things are in the world. Hopes fail. An end comes. We have only a little time to wait now. There is no escape.’ They look at each other and Sam looks around at the destruction.
Some cuts to the turmoil at the cone and the outpourings of lava.
Cut back to Sam and he hides Frodo’s head under his cloak. He carries on rocking.

Sam, gently: ‘Do you think they will sing of us? A song of Nine-Fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom? Like they sing of Beren One-Hand and the Silmaril?’ A cloud of smoke and ashes obscures them for a moment. It clears and Sam is coughing and his head sinks over the figure of Frodo. The camera pulls away and upwards and the two figures shrink within the turmoils of smoke.
A long slow fade to black as the Lachrymosa comes to an end
Closing credits.

I thought I would let that sink in a little before I continued. The new episode starts now.



A thin dark line of distant mountains on the horizon. A plume of black smoke drifts away behind them. Cut to two people’s hands joined upon a white parapet. Between their arms a tiny dot is seen in the sky. As it grows closer the opening credits start. JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: Episode Twenty Nine The Field of Cormallen etc. As the credits continue cut to lines of people on the walls of Minas Tirith looking out, their hands to their mouths, or looking grim or resigned. Cut to the winged creature flapping slowly until it is near enough to show it as a great eagle. Cut to Faramir’s and Eowyn’s faces. Cut to the eagle and it brings its wings up as if to land; its talons outstretched in a heraldic posture and its movements turn to slow motion. The colours turn to the intense colours of a late mediaeval painting, the eagle in gold and the sky in a lapis lazuli blue and the eagle morphs into an angelic figure with tight golden curls and white robes. A clamour of bells start and the angelic messenger sings out in a high counter tenor voice:
‘Sing all ye people of the Tower of Anor
For the realm of Sauron has ended forever
And the Dark Tower is thrown down.’
(Another peal of bells)
‘Sing and be glad all ye children of the West
For your King shall come again
And he shall dwell among you
All the days of your life.’
(Another peal of bells)
‘And the tree that was withered shall be renewed
And he shall plant it in the high places.
Sing all ye people!’
Cuts to people hugging on the walls and in the streets to the sound of bells. One old man weeps. Cut to Faramir and Eowyn gazing at each other.
Faramir: ‘Will you now go to meet your brother in his triumph?’

Eowyn: ‘If he asked I would not go. Do you know why?’

Faramir, carefully: ‘It may be it would pain you to see the Lord Aragorn. Or – it may be that you wish to be with me. Or it may be you do not know which.’ He pauses and looks down then up again, ‘Eowyn, do you not love me or will you not?’

Eowyn: ‘I wish to be loved, not pitied.’

Cut to Faramir’s face: ‘Yes, he gave you pity but not love and so you sought nothing except death. Look at me. When I first saw you it is true that I pitied your sorrow. I do not offer it now for I love you and would love you were you sorrowless and free of fear. Do you not love me?’

Cut to Eowyn looking out over the lands to the east then back steadily at Faramir. She gives up the fight within herself and her stiffness goes and she looks around then back at him again and she collapses against his chest and bursts into deep sobs. His arms go around her then one hand goes up to stroke her cheek.
She looks up half smiling, half crying: ‘I will take no more joy in war. The world is healing and I will be healed and I will be a healer myself. I will love things that grow and yes, I will love you.’ She strokes his face then hugs him then looks back in his face with a wry smile: ‘And no longer do I desire to be a queen.’

Faramir laughs: ‘It is as well for I am no king.’

Cut to Aragorn and Gandalf still on the hill of battle. Gandalf has one arm raised and is looking up at the sky. Cut to the armies of Mordor milling about like an aimless crowd. Eagles fly among them lifting and casting orcs down. The Rohirrim are leading their horses out and the front ranks of spearmen start to advance.
Cut to an immense eagle landing on the mound. It walks close to Gandalf and Aragorn. Shadowfax and the eagle stare at each other. The eagle is scarcely shorter than the horse.

Gandalf: ‘I have the need now for speed greater than any wind. Will you bear me once more?’ The eagle launches itself again into the air and flies out of sight. Then we see it high up and it swoops down and with a thump he grasps Gandalf in huge talons and lifts him up. Shadowfax tosses his head and stamps.
Cut to Gimli and Legolas searching among the bodies. Gimli briefly look behind in surprise to see Gandalf in the background being carried off in the air then he resumes his search.

Legolas: ‘I fear the young hobbit lies drowned in the mud.’

Gimli, stroking his beard: ‘He stood near to his friend in the Citadel Guard. Ah! Hobbit feet if I am not mistaken. Here Legolas, help me shift this troll.’ Cut to the two using spears to lever the body of the troll away from two large bare hairy feet. It rolls over and Pippin lies beneath it, unmoving but still holding his sword. Legolas kneels quickly and massages Pippin’s chest until he stirs.
Cut to a Turner-like view of drifting and swirling smokes; an image of chaos. Cut to a murky scene of Sam bent over Frodo. Cut to a close-up of Sam and with a soft thump two great talons seize and lift him. Frodo flops lifelessly. A brief moment and another two talons lift him too. The camera stays on the barren spot and a shower of glowing stones rattle down and dark smoke obscures the screen and the swirling clouds become still.

Much, much better than the done-in-a-hurry Faramir-Éowyn romance we got in the movies!

Backing up a bit, if I may: the mood of the Lachrimosa fits the scene well, but I don't think it's appropriate to Middle Earth. I would recommend getting newly-composed music rather than recycling music that was meant for another purpose.

Quote:

Backing up a bit, if I may: the mood of the Lachrimosa fits the scene well, but I don't think it's appropriate to Middle Earth. I would recommend getting newly-composed music rather than recycling music that was meant for another purpose.

I understand that bringing in music that is well known or has the cultural baggage that liturgical music does is problematical. I have introduced other musical themes earlier but sparingly and have another example coming up shortly. I suppose I am trying to hit emotional buttons by choosing appropriate music that the reader of this serial may already know. I could construct a defence of using such music but I understand the opposite view.

Do you visit the Hall of Fire? A thread has just been started there about classical and other music that fits scenes from LOTR. That would be a useful opinion to add to the discussion.

I have got to the end of the tale and all that remains is for me to finish typing it into a Word document. That means I can post a little more frquently so here is the second part of the episode.



A very slow dissolve from the still view of the smokes to bright spots of gleaming gold. Then to fresh pale green between the golden spots then a fine tracery of high branches and sunbeams and butterflies and the singing of birds.
Cut to an extreme close-up of Sam’s eyes flickering and opening and the light shining in his eyes. Cut to his whole face and he sniffs and frowns.
Sam: ‘Bless me! That is the scent of Ithilien.’ Cut to a little further back and Sam raises himself on an elbow in a bed in an open glade as he looks down at Frodo asleep by him. Cut for a second to Frodo’s maimed hand on the coverlet.
Sam: ‘What sort of dream is this? Where am I? ‘

Cut to even further back and Gandalf is sitting near the bed: ‘You are indeed in Ithilien and in the keeping of the King.’

Sam turns around on hearing the voice: ‘Gandalf? I thought you were dead and I was dead…. What has happened to the world?’ He stops with his mouth open. We see that Frodo is awake and watching him.

Gandalf: ‘A great shadow has departed.’ He cannot keep a straight face at Sam’s open-mouthed look of astonishment and he starts chuckling then laughing deeply. He rises and embraces Sam.
Gandalf: ‘How do you feel?’

Sam: ‘I don’t know how to say it. Like Spring after Winter, like sun on the leaves, like trumpets and harps and songs.’

Frodo grinning: ‘You sleepyhead Sam. I’ve been awake since this morning.’ At Frodo’s voice Sam turns again.

Gandalf: ‘You were both close to death but for the last two weeks the King of Gondor himself has tended you and now he waits for you. You shall eat and drink with him and then he rides to his coronation.’

Cut to the two hobbits being prepared. First they are given back their treasures: Frodo is given the phial of Galadriel and Sting. We see Sam’s joy at getting back the small box. As they start we hear the beginning of Tallis’s Spem in Allium quietly in the background. They are robed, Frodo in his mithril coat and Sam in golden mail. Circlets of silver are placed on their heads. The music continues as they pass down an avenue of newly opened beech trees, past a tiny gurgling waterfall and drifts of spring flowers. Men along the way start to bow to them. Cut to an arch of trees that leads to bright sunlight. Cut to Gandalf walking with them across a green meadow with people gathered either side and the singing swells. A brief cut to Gimli and Legolas and Merry and Pippin watching together.
Cut back and Gandalf halts and Frodo and Sam continue. Cut to a hand held camera moving towards three high seats. The banners of Rohan and Dol Amroth and in the centre the black and silver banner of the King flutter. Cut to Aragorn in armour, Anduril across his knees, watching them. He rises and walks down the steps on to the grass. Cut to Frodo and Sam facing him and showing more surprise.

Sam: ‘Strider? ‘

Aragorn: ‘It is a long way from Bree Sam where you did not like the look of me. A long way but yours has been the darkest road.’ He sinks down on his knees and bows his head to them. Cut to Aragorn leading them up the steps. Cut to the two sitting side by side on the great chair. Aragorn stands on a lower step.
Aragorn to everyone: ‘Praise them with great praise!’
The music of Tallis swells again. Cut to Sam looking around smiling proudly with tears running down his face. The camera moves from him to Frodo and then to Eomer and on past the gathered people and up into trees and blue sky and the music continues.
Dissolve as the music fades away to a full moon over the trees and the camera drops to a pavilion in the dusk with lamps all round it and cheerful music coming from it. Cut to a banquet inside the pavilion and the lute and pipe music is louder. Frodo and Sam sit among the Captains with Gimli and Legolas sitting nearby. They are intent on their plates and don’t notice Merry and Pippin coming up in the uniforms of Rohan and Gondor until Pippin raps the table smartly. Cut to a closer view.

Sam speaking through a mouthful: ‘Well, look who it is! How have you grown three inches since we left you? I see there are more tales to tell than ours.’
Pippin grins: ‘Ask Gandalf; he’s not so close as he used to be. We can’t stay to talk as we have to attend to our duties. We have become knights of Gondor and Rohan since you last saw us.’
Fade out to some scenes of ornate barges being rowed down the river then to a scene of pavilions on the fields before Minas Tirith.
Cut to Faramir, Eowyn, Elfhelm and other dignitaries waiting in front of the Gateway of Minas Tirith. Cut to a longer view of the same scene and we see noisy and bustling crowds gathered either side of them.
Cut to Aragorn in armour and Gandalf, Eomer and Imrahil and the hobbits proceeding on foot up the main highway with their banners held up behind them. Cut to Beregond with an arm in a sling with Bergil by his side in the crowd.

Cut to Ioreth talking to a friend in the crowds: ‘No, not boys, they are Halfling princes from their kingdom in the North. One of them walked into Mordor with just his squire and fought the Dark Lord all by himself and then set fire to his Tower!’ (the friend looks very sceptical) ‘I had one in my care you know.’ A trumpet sounds and the crowds and Ioreth fall silent.
Cut to Faramir addressing the crowds: ‘The kingship of Gondor has lain empty for a thousand years. One now comes who claims the throne: Aragorn of the Dunedain of the North, Captain of the Host of the West, bearer of the Elfstone and of the Sword Reforged: Elessar, whose hands brought healing, the heir of Isildur who came to Middle-earth on the crest of the flood of Westernesse. Shall he be king and enter this city?’
Cut to the crowd throwing caps in the air and a massed shout: ‘Yea!’

Cut to Aragorn: ‘By the labours of many have I come to my inheritance. In token of this I would have the Ring-bearer bring the crown to me and I would have Mithrandir set it upon my brow for he has been the mover of all and this is his victory.’
Cut to Faramir holding an open casket for Frodo. Frodo takes out a tall silver peaked crown adorned with wings from the casket carefully. It looks heavy. The camera follows him to Aragorn kneeling before Gandalf. Gandalf takes the crown and places it on Aragorn’s head.

Gandalf: ‘May the days of the king be blessed while the thrones of the Valar endure,’

Cut to the crowned Aragorn standing: ‘Thus said Elendil, “Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide and my heirs unto the ending of the world.”‘
Cut to the crowds cheering again and the sound of bells pealing. Cut to Faramir returning to Eowyn who smiles and takes his hands in hers.

Fade to a mountain landscape. The camera pans across an alpine meadow with snowy peaks in the background until it reaches Aragorn and Gandalf sitting on a rock. Cut to a closer view and the wind is ruffling Gandalf’s hair and beard.
Gandalf, sweeping his arm around: ‘All this is your realm. The power of the three Elven Rings to preserve what was good has gone. Soon the Elves must choose between fading or departing across the Great Sea. It is your task to keep and remember what is best from the last Age.’

Aragorn: ‘I am mortal and shall die. Who shall govern Gondor then? There has been no sign; the Tree still lies withered in the Citadel. My friend, how can the dearest desire of my heart ever be granted?’
Gandalf holds up a finger and watches a bumblebee buzzing unsteadily past them. He follows it with his eyes and rises.
Cut to a lacework of ice hanging from a rock and dripping water into a tiny stream. Cut to a slender sapling growing from a carpet of moss above a moving stream of water. Cut to the bumblebee on a cluster of white flowers among narrow silvery leaves. Cut to Aragorn kneeling by the sapling and looking up at Gandalf.

Gandalf: ‘This is your sign. This is a sapling of the line of Telperion, the eldest of trees that grew in the morning of the world. Take it and set it in the court of the White Tower.’ Aragorn peels the mat of moss and roots carefully from the rock, drenches his cloak in the stream and wraps the roots in it. Fade out.

And the episode finishes.......



Fade in to a dark blue evening sky and a tinkling dancing music. High voices sing an interweaving song. Lances bearing heraldic pennants bob past in the lower part of the screen.

Gandalf’s voice starts over the images: ‘This will be only the third union between Elves and Men in all the days of Middle-earth.’ Next we see an ornamental paper lantern on a delicate pole. The camera tracks along with it as fireflies spin around it. Cut to a pair of richly dressed Elves on horseback. They glow in the dusk. Cut to Celeborn and Galadriel riding together. Cut to Elrond bearing a great sceptre on his shoulder. He has a solemn sorrowful face.
Gandalf’s voice continues: ‘They promised their love in the heart of Lothlorien but Elrond would not give his daughter to anyone less than the King of the united realm of Gondor and Arnor.’
Cut to Arwen in all her beauty riding on a grey horse. The camera tracks her for a while.
Gandalf: ‘She is Arwen Undomiel; Arwen, Star of the Twilight; Elrond’s only daughter. It is a bitter day for him.’
Cut to the Court of the Citadel. Surrounded by a ring of people and standing by a young thin tree that brims with white blossom and silver leaves, Aragorn holds Arwen’s hands in his while Elrond and Galadriel stand nearby. Cut to the hobbits next to Gandalf.

Pippin: ‘Why is that?’

Gandalf, whispering: ‘For now Arwen must embrace a mortal life. The days of Elven-kind are fading and soon Elrond will pass over the Sea. When he does, their parting will endure beyond the ends of the world.’

Frodo, his eyes shining: ‘Arwen, Star of the Twilight, yes. Now night too will be blessed and all its fears pass away.’
Cut to a close view of Aragorn still holding Arwen’s hands as they gaze into each other’s eyes while Elrond smiles sadly near them. Cut to Galadriel looking on. Cut to Gimli and Eomer. Gimli has a distant smile on his face.

Eomer: ‘Tell me Master Dwarf, have you your axe ready?’

Gimli, puzzled: ‘No, but I can fetch it speedily.’

Eomer: ‘For I must tell you that the Lady of the Golden Wood is not the fairest I have seen.’

Gimli looks sideways at him: ‘Then I must fetch my axe.’

Eomer: ‘Shall I call for my sword? For I would do battle for Queen Arwen Evenstar.’

Gimli makes a gesture of reconciliation: ‘You have chosen the evening but my heart lies with the morning. It will soon pass away for ever.’ Cut back briefly to Galadriel.
Fade to a view across Minas Tirith in the dusk.
Cut to a clattering of horses in the sunlit square inside the gateway of Minas Tirith. Aragorn and Arwen, Gandalf, the Elf-Company, the hobbits, Faramir, Eowyn and Eomer are preparing to leave. Cut to Frodo on his pony looking ill at ease in a quiet spot. Arwen walks up to him.

Arwen: ‘ Bilbo still waits for you in Rivendell but he will only make one more journey.’ Frodo looks up at her but says nothing. Cut to Arwen’s face as her eyes look deep.
‘For love I have chosen a mortal life. Like Luthien before me I shall take both the bitter and the sweet. When my father leaves Middle-earth I shall not go with him. This I give to you Ring-bearer; in my stead you may go so your wounds and weariness may be healed.’ A look of compassion comes on her face and she lifts a silver starburst from around her neck, kisses it and puts it over Frodo. ‘When the fear and darkness trouble you, this will bring you aid.’ Frodo’s eyes follow her as she goes.

Cuts of the procession riding away from Minas Tirith; to the company passing a forest with drums sounding in the distance; to Edoras in the distance.
Cut to many people around a long table, laden with food inside Meduseld. Eomer, Aragorn, Arwen and Faramir are at the head of the table. Eowyn walks around filling cups and horns from a great gold-rimmed auroch horn. Cut to the head of the table.
Eomer raises his horn and calls out: ‘Faramir, Steward of Gondor and now Prince of Ithilien asks for the hand of my sister Eowyn. I give it willingly.’

Aragorn: ‘No miser are you Eomer; to give the fairest in your realm to Gondor.’

Eowyn comes up to fill his horn: ‘Wish me joy my healer.’

Aragorn: ‘I have wished you joy since I first saw you.’
Cut to Eomer and Eowyn in a wooden walled armoury inspecting Merry in his Rohan armour. Merry is sheathing a Rohan blade. Eomer holds a small Rohan shield ready to pass it over.

Eomer: ‘The kings of old would have filled a wagon with rich gifts for you but you say you will have naught but your arms.’ Eowyn produces a small circular silver horn and gives it to Merry.

Eowyn: ‘Take this my holbytlan in memory of Dernhelm. It was brought out of the North by our people and came from the hoard of Scatha the Worm. Sound it to bring courage to your friends and fear to your enemies.’ Merry embraces them both.
Brief fades to long views of the party, now smaller, leaving Edoras then approaching the long valley to Isengard.
Cut to the still lake with the black spike of Orthanc in the Centre. The lake is now lined with rocky outcrops and trees. Cut to the company with Treebeard.

Gandalf: ‘How is Saruman? Is he weary of the view from his window yet?’

Treebeard: ‘Hoom. He grew weary of my voice and my long tales. Even so he forced himself to listen for he was greedy for news.’

Gandalf, drily: ‘I observe you say with care, grew, forced and was. Is he dead?’

Treebeard: ‘You know I hate the caging of living things. Indeed I let him go for I judged he was harmless now.’

Gandalf: ‘I see he still has power in his voice. Well, he is gone and that is that.’
Cut to Gimli and Legolas with the hobbits.

Gimli: ‘It is time to say farewell to you. Legolas and I go back to our own lands. No more will I fear for your peril. I hope that we may still meet again.’ They embrace. Cut to Celeborn and Galadriel with Treebeard.

Treebeard: ‘It is long since we met by stock or stone. I feel the world changing. I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air. I do not think we shall meet again.’

Galadriel: ‘Not until the lands that lie under the wave are lifted up again. Then we may meet in the willow meads of Tasarinan. Farewell.’ Fade out.
Fade in to Gimli and Legolas in a medium distance walking through scattered old pine trees.
Fade into Aragorn appearing over a gentle crest. He is followed by the others. Long shadows stretch across the grass. Pippin rides up beside him on his pony.

Aragorn: ‘You are still a knight of Gondor, Peregrine Took. My realm lies also in the North and I shall come there one day. Farewell for now my friends.’
Cut to Gandalf and the hobbits and the Elf Company at the bottom of a long gentle slope. They halt and look back and wave. Cut to the figure of Aragorn on the hill, his white cloak and finery catching the red gleams of the low sun. He holds up his hand and a green flash fills the screen.
The picture freezes and the closing credits start.

Only two more episodes to go now. Here is the start of the penultimate episode.


Distant views of the company riding through empty landscapes and woods, always with mountains in the distance.
Cut to a close-up of Saruman’s ill tempered face. Cut to him walking on a path, his robes torn and dirty. He stops angrily and turns back and we see Wormtongue behind him trying to attend to a damaged boot. The opening credits start; JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Episode Thirty: Homeward Bound etc. As they run Saruman kicks Wormtongue into keeping up with him. Wormtongue hobbles on with a large pack on his back.
Cut to Saruman sitting on a rock and eating. He tosses scraps on the ground and smiles grimly as Wormtongue snatches at them. Saruman looks up sharply as we hear the sound of hoofs and his smile turns to a snarl. Cut to Gandalf and the Elves riding out from trees followed by the hobbits on their ponies. Cut to the Company mounted in a line before Saruman. Wormtongue hides behind his master.

Gandalf: ‘Where are you going Saruman?’

Saruman with cold contempt: ‘What is that to you? Are you not content with my ruin?

Gandalf: ‘Had you waited at Orthanc, the king would have shown you mercy.’

Saruman spits: ‘I seek a way to escape his realm.’ He looks to Galadriel. ‘Did you bring him this way to gloat over me? You always hated me and took his part.’

Cut to Galadriel: ‘Say rather that you have been overtaken by good fortune for you have a last chance.’ Cut back to the group.

Saruman: ‘Good! It saves me the trouble of refusing it again. You have ruined my hopes but do you think that you have any?’ He forces out a laugh.’You forget I am still wise in these matters. You have doomed yourselves and have pulled down your own houses too.’ Cut briefly to Galadriel’s face growing serious. Cut back and Saruman adopts a mock pathos, his hand to his breast.
Saruman: ‘Oh what ship will bear me back across so wide a sea?’
He glares forward: ‘A grey ship full of ghosts!’ Cut back to Galadriel’s sombre face.
Cut back to Saruman pulling Wormtongue forward by the ear: ‘Get going again Worm. We will take a different path to rid ourselves of these fine folk.’ Wormtongue struggles to put on his pack.

Cut to Gandalf: ‘Grima, you may leave him if you wish.’ Cut to Wormtongue shaking his head in fear. Cut to Saruman pausing by the hobbits on their ponies.

Saruman: ‘So you have come to gloat at me too? You have everything now: food and the best pipeweed. Oh yes, I know where you got it from.’ He looks around and licks his lips and swallows his pride: ‘Do you have any to spare?’ Merry takes a pouch from his saddlepack and tosses it across.

Merry: ‘This is from the flotsam of Isengard. You are welcome to it.’

Saruman looks into the pouch greedily and pockets it: ‘A beggar may be grateful if thieves return a morsel. Long may you be short of leaf.’ He kicks Wormtongue again and sets off.
Fade to more long views of the Company riding by rivers and reed beds with skeins of ducks and geese rising from the water. Mountains are still always in the background.
Cut to Gandalf and Elrond and a few Elves and the hobbits raising their arms in farewell to Galadriel and Celeborn and their attendants who ride up a slope towards the distant peak of Caradhras.
Fade to the now small company crossing the bridge at Rivendell. We hear the musical spray and an avenue of paper lanterns leads to yellow windows under the deep eaves of Elrond’s house. Cut to Elrond standing by his horse looking up and shaking his head. He is near to weeping.
Cut to an aged Bilbo asleep at his desk, his head among papers and quill pens and pots of ink. Behind him a door slides open and Frodo peeks in then steps in quietly. He lays his hand on Bilbo’s shoulder and the old hobbit stirs.

Frodo: ‘Hello Uncle Bilbo. We have come back just in time for your birthday.’

Bilbo, sleepily: ‘Hullo Frodo, so you’re back?’ He tries to tidy his desk. ‘I haven’t done much writing since you have been gone, I’ve been getting so sleepy. Perhaps you could take my notes and knock them into shape for me. I won’t be too critical. Young Sam will help.’ He pats his waistcoat pocket.’Let’s see, what was it now? Oh yes, my Ring. You took it away didn’t you? Can I see it again?’

Frodo, gently: ‘I lost it Bilbo dear.’

Bilbo: ‘Ah, a pity. How silly of me. That’s what you went away for. Now you will have to tell me all your adventures.’ Fade out as Bilbo inks a pen.
Fade to some brief views over the valley of Rivendell. Cut to a garden pavilion. Cut to a frosty cobweb and the camera rises from it up to the hobbits sitting in the pavilion. Bilbo is still writing on scraps.

Sam: ‘I feel we ought to be going soon. I’m worried about my old gaffer. All the same I will be sorry to leave. Though we’ve seen a deal I don’t think we’ve found a better place than this. There’s a bit of everything here: the Shire and the Golden Wood, Gondor and inns and meadows and mountains all mixed.’

Cut to a close-up of Frodo speaking softly to himself: ‘All except the Sea, Sam. All except the Sea.’
Cut to Gandalf and the hobbits mounted by the bridge. Cut to Elrond standing close by Frodo.

Elrond, whispering: ‘Next year when the leaves are gold but before they fall, look for Bilbo in the woods of the Shire. I shall be with him. Farewell, Elf-Friend.’ Frodo nods and they look at each other.
Cut to a long view of Gandalf and the hobbits crossing the bridge A rainbow glistens on the spray filling the ravine below. Cut to the travellers mounting a narrow track. The hobbits look about them uncomfortably. Dissolve to a vignetted night scene as Strider escorts the body of Frodo over Asfaloth. Fade back to daylight and the hobbits are crossing the Fords of Bruinen. Cut to Gandalf and Frodo still on the bank. Frodo looks stricken.

Gandalf, looking down and speaking gently: ‘Are you in pain?’

Frodo nods: ‘The wound that I took on Weathertop from the Witch-King aches. All I can see is darkness. Where shall I find rest from it?’ Gandalf has no answer.

Here is the middle part of the penultimate episode.


Fade to the travellers approaching the gate at Bree. Gusts of red leaves whirl around. Cut to a suspicious gatekeeper armed with a cudgel holding the gate as they enter.
Cut to the company riding through an empty Bree street. Sam gestures with his thumb.

Sam: ‘That was Bill Ferny’s house back there. It’s all bare and empty now. I wonder what happened to his poor old pony what with all those wolves howling.’
Cut to the sign of the Prancing Pony swinging in the wind as the day ends. The camera drops and we see the hobbits and Gandalf standing by their mounts as Merry rings the bell on the door within the archway. Cut to the door opening slightly and Nob’s wide open eye looking out. The door opens a bit more and his head turns.

Nob: ‘Mr Butterbur, they’re back!’ Cut to the back of Butterbur striding down a hallway, rolling up his sleeves and picking up a cudgel himself.

Butterbur: ‘Oh are they? Then I’ll learn them!’ Cut to Butterbur framed in the doorway by the light inside. He brandishes his club then realises who his visitors are. ‘Nob, you woolly pated ninny! Don’t go scaring me like that. Come in little friends. I never expected to see any of you ever again what with going off into the wilds with that Strider fellow.’
Cut to a table in a panelled room filled with the ruins of a meal. The camera pans to Gandalf and the hobbits puffing contentedly on their pipes round a fire. They look up. Cut to Butterbur by the door twisting his apron. He walks up to the travellers.

Butterbur: ‘Beg pardon. Things have not been well in Bree since you left. Most of the newcomers up from the south are just poor folk running from trouble but some were right bad. We had a set-to when the snows came last winter. We reckon Bill Ferny and a couple of others let them in. It was a bad business and some Bree-folk were killed. Killed dead! We managed to push them out and now they live as robbers out in the wild. Nowhere’s been safe since all the Rangers left.’

Pippin: ‘No one troubled us.’

Butterbur: ‘And no wonder little master. They wouldn’t go for fighting folk with swords and armour and shields and all would they? It put even me aback seeing you like that.’

Gandalf: ‘Cheer up Barliman, better times are coming. The Rangers will return and there is a king again. He will come up here one day and then Bree will see fair folk.’

Butterbur, incredulous : ‘Hah! A king at Bree? He’ll be in his tall castle hundreds of miles from here drinking wine from a golden cup, not drinking a mug of ale in the Prancing Pony.’ Gandalf and the hobbits chuckle.

Sam: ‘Well he does say your beer is good.’

Gandalf: ‘Barliman, my fellow, It is Strider who is the king!’ Butterbur opens and closes his mouth and then sits down.

Butterbur: ‘That is a powerful lot to think over. Now where was I? Let’s see, ah, Ferny. Well that poor old pony of his that you bought off him came back last winter. Shaggy as an old dog and lean as a clothes rail but fine for all that. Nob has looked after him.’

Sam jumps up: ‘Bill? You mean he’s here?’ He runs out. A brief cut to Sam in the stables, a lantern lighting things up. He is hugging Bill’s neck.
Cut to the company riding from the archway in the morning. Cut to them leaving the Bree-gate watched by men with cudgels. Cut to Gandalf and the hobbits pausing on the open road.

Gandalf: ‘I shall turn aside here to see Bombadil. He has been a moss gatherer and until now I have been a stone doomed to rolling. I hope to have such a talk. You do not need my help any longer, you have grown very high, among the great you are now.. Farewell for now but not for the last time, no not yet. Good-bye!’ Gandalf rides off. The hobbits follow him with their eyes. Cut to Gandalf already small in the distance riding towards the barrow-downs. Cut back to the hobbits’

Merry Now we are four again. One by one all the others have left.’

Fade to the hobbits approaching a gate across a bridge as the daylight fails. They are hooded against the rain.

Cut to Merry: ‘What’s this? Someone’s pulled down the Bridge Inn and built a house for Big Folk in its place. What is that great ugly thing doing in our Shire?’ Cut to a dark, thin windowed, prison-like rectangular house near the bridge. A tall figure comes out of it swaying a little. In one hand he holds a lantern, in the other a flagon.

‘Can’t you read the notice? No admittance after dark.’ Cut back to the hobbits. Pippin and Merry clamber over the gate.

Sam: ‘How can we read it in the dark? If I do find it I’ll tear it down!’ Cut to Bill’s head. His ears go back and he shows the whites of his eyes. Cut to Merry and Pippin either side of the man.

He lays his flagon down carefully: ‘Gatebreakers eh? Why I’ll break you little necks!’ Merry and Pippin’s swords flash out.

Merry: ‘It’s Bill Ferny isn’t it? Unlock that gate and leave the Shire or we will set steel to you.’ Cut to Ferny’s face and he licks his lips nervously as he looks from side to side. We hear the snort of a horse and the stamp of a hoof. Cut to Ferny running out of the gate into the dark. Cut to Sam’s pony letting fly with his back legs and we hear a squeal of pain. Sam fondles the pony’s head.

Sam: ‘Nice work Bill.’ Cut to a circle of nervous hobbits around the travellers.

Merry: ‘What’s all this nonsense about?

One hobbit (Hob): ‘It’s orders from the Chief up at Bag End in Hobbiton.’

Frodo: ‘Bag End? You can’t mean Lotho Sackville-Baggins? Then it’s high time the family put him in his place. The very idea! When we left the proper Thain of the Shire was the Took.’ Pippin nods firmly.
Cut to the travellers walking into a spartan dormitory. Cut to a wall covered with notices: ‘Forbidden!’ ’ Read and Obey!’ and ‘Penalties’. Hands rip them down.
Cut to Sam rubbing his hands with cold: ‘No welcome, no fire, no pipeweed, no beer; just rules and orc-talk. I see there’s work ahead in the morning.’
Cut to the travellers setting out from the bleak brick house in the morning watched by a small gathering. Cut to the four of them stopping in the countryside in front of a line of hobbits bearing feathered caps who are blocking the road.

Cut to the leader trying to look important with his arms folded: ‘I have to arrest you Mr Baggins for gate-breaking, tearing up rules, attacking a gate-keeper, trespass, sleeping in an official house and travelling without permission.’

I will repeat a few lines at the start.
The episode finishes...........


Cut to the leader trying to look important with his arms folded: ‘I have to arrest you Mr Baggins for gate-breaking, tearing up rules, attacking a gate-keeper, trespass, sleeping in an official house and travelling without permission.’ Cut to the travellers and Frodo is smirking.

Sam: ‘You can add calling your chief rude names and thinking you look like a lot of Tom-fools.’

Cut to the leader: ‘Now don’t go making it worse. You don’t want to end up in the Lock-holes do you?’

Cut to the travellers laughing and moving forward through the uneasy band of Shirrifs.

Frodo: ‘We shall go where we please but you may follow us if you wish.’

The Chief Shirrif to their backs: ‘Don’t forget I have arrested you!’

Frodo, over his shoulder: ‘I won’t but I may forgive you.’ There is more laughter.

Cut to the Shirrifs hurrying to keep up with the mounted travellers. Sam slows down and beckons to one hobbit. He looks at the leader fearfully who gives him a hard look back then looks away ostentatiously. The hobbit runs forward up to Sam. Cut to a closer view of the two.

Sam: ‘You’re Robin Smallburrow aren’t you? You’re from Hobbiton and ought to know better. What’s with pulling the Bridge Inn down and all these rules?’

Robin, slightly out of breath from keeping up: ‘All the inns are closed. The Chief doesn’t hold with people drinking beer or moving about without his permission.’

Sam: ‘Then you should be ashamed of yourself. You used to like the inside of an ale-house. If Shirriffing has stopped being a respectable job then give it up.’

Robin: ‘We’re not allowed to.’

Sam, growling slightly: ‘If I hear that once more I will get angry.’

Robin, whispering: ‘If we all got angry together something might get done. As it is, if someone stands up, the Chief’s got men who will drag them off to the Lock-holes. They have started beating them too. There’s hundreds of Shirrifs like us now, all in troops like this and all with new rules and there’s even some who do spy work for the Chief.’ He looks over his shoulder. Sam shakes his head in disgust.
Cuts to the procession passing caved in hobbit holes, lines of tree stumps and clusters of shanty-like sheds. Cut to the horizon and a plume of black smoke rises behind a hill. Cut to the friends.

A grim Pippin: ‘I have seen smokes like that before.’ The hobbits look at each other and kick their ponies into a trot.

Cut to the leader of the Shirrifs as he gets smaller: ‘You’re breaking arrest and I can’t be answerable!’

Cut to a close-up of Pippin with gritted teeth: ‘We’ll break a good many things yet.’ Cut to the four cresting a hill and halting, their faces aghast. Cut to the Bywater pool floating with rubbish, all the trees around it felled and beyond it a massive windowless brick factory with a tall chimney belching out black smoke. Lines of regimented barrack-like sheds cluster around it, all within a smoky haze. Cut to the friends again.

Sam: ‘I’ve got to find my gaffer.’ Merry puts a hand on his reins.

Merry: ‘Hold on Sam. We must keep together. There may be men about. We have to find out how things stand first.’
Cut to the four riding slowly down the Bywater street that we saw in the first episode. The trees are now stumps and hobbit houses are covered in notices or boarded up or fouled by graffiti. Cut to a curtain twitching open in a round window and a frightened eye looking out.
Cut to a half dozen ill dressed men leaning against the walls of a broken windowed Green Dragon inn. They move forward and block the road tapping cudgels into their palms. One who is better dressed steps forward.

‘Your road ends here.’ Cut to the cloaked travellers on their ponies facing the men.

Merry: ‘We are not used to footpads in the Shire but we know how to deal with them.’

The man: ‘Don’t try that. Sharky’s here and he’ll wake you little rats up. None of you can stop us from living in this fat little land from now on.’

Frodo rides forward: ‘I am on my way to see Lotho Sackville-Baggins to see what he thinks of your plans.’ The ruffian starts to laugh and his fellows join in.
Frodo continues: ‘You are behind the times. Much has happened in the South and now your day is over. There is a king again and his messengers will ride up the Greenway from the south, not bullies from Isengard. Your master is now a beggar in the wilderness.’ The ruffian walks forward and pushes his face into Frodo’s. Frodo doesn’t flinch.

The ruffian mocks his words: ‘A beggar in the wilderness? Swagger it, go on swagger it while you can you little cock-a-whoop.’ He spits. ‘That for your king’s messengers. I’ll take notice if ever I see one.’ Cut to Pippin boiling over with anger. He throws back his cloak and hood to show the armour of the Citadel Guard bearing the White Tree and his helmet. The camera pulls back as he rides forward to one side of the ruffian. His sword flickers out. Cut to a close-up of the terrified ruffian with the needle sharp point of the barrow-blade at his throat.
We hear Pippins’s voice: ‘Down on your knees and beg for pardon. I am the King’s messenger and you speak to the most renowned in all the days of the West. This blade is a trollbane and I will set it into you!’
Cut to Merry and Sam but not Frodo drawing swords too. Cut to the ruffians running away up the road. Cut to the four friends.

Frodo: ‘Poor Lotho!’ The other three sheathing their swords look sceptical. Frodo continues: ‘You see he didn’t mean this to happen but he is caught now. They run things as they like in his name. I expect he is a very frightened prisoner in Bag End. We must try to rescue him.’

Pippin: ‘Well, I’m staggered! That’s the last thing I expected to do when I got home; to fight and rescue Lotho Pimple!’

Frodo: ‘If it does have to come to fighting, there must be no slaying of hobbits. Even if they have really gone over to the side of the men instead of obeying orders out of fright. No hobbit has ever been killed on purpose in the Shire and it is not to begin now. Do not even kill these ruffians if it can be helped. Keep your tempers.’

Merry: ‘My dear Frodo, we can’t rescue Lotho just by being shocked and sad. If there are many of these ruffians it will come down to fighting.’

Pippin: ‘Yes, they will be bolder when there’s more of them. We are only four. We ought to take cover for the night.’

Merry: ‘No! That’s what the Shire-folk have been doing since this started. It’s what these men want. If we do that they will just corner us and burn us out. We have to do something at once. We must raise the Shire. Now! Wake all the people! We know they hate all this but they don’t know what to do. All they need is a match.’

Pippin: ‘Right. I’ll raise the Tookland and bring help.’ He kicks his pony into a gallop and rides off.

Sam: ‘And I will go to Tom Cotton’s farm. He’s a stout hearted fellow and all his sons were friends of mine.’ Sam also rides off. Cut to Merry riding back with Frodo to the crossroads. He pushes back his cloak and takes up his circular silver horn.
He grins at Frodo: ‘I shall give them some music they have never heard before.’ He brings the horn up and a thrilling sound comes from it. He pauses then shouts out:
‘Awake Awake! Fear Fire Foes Awake!
Fire Foes Awake!’
He repeats the metre on his horn. Cut to curtains opening and hobbits coming out of their doors.
Cut to Sam bent over Bills head. We hear the sound of the distant horn again over the sound of Bill’s gallop. Sam grins ferociously.
Cut to black.
Closing credits.

It's taken a long time but here we go with the start to the final episode.



A slow pan across Bywater in murky daylight while the tall blank walled mill pours out black smoke. The opening credits start. JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: Episode Thirty One The Grey Havens etc. As the credits run some cuts to unsavoury ruffians leaning up against walls or walking up between low hobbit houses in a street swinging their clubs idly about.
Cut to a hobbit farmyard. Some steps rise up to a round doorway and dogs lie about in the straw outside. Cut to a hobbit woman’s face looking anxiously outside from a round window. Cut to a large farm kitchen and two hobbit women walk in carrying in food. The face of the older one is the one we saw in the window. She sifts some flour into a bowl as the younger one starts to wash vegetables. The young hobbit lass starts to sing a love ballad and the older one comes across and puts her floury hand across her mouth to silence her.

‘Hush Rosie dear or the ruffians will hear you.’

Rose shakes her floury face free and smiles: ‘Let them come! Their time will soon be over. My Sam is coming back.’ She starts to sing again.

Fade to a night scene of the farmyard. The dogs are baying and growling. The door opens and silhouettes of four hobbits come out with axes and pitchforks and lanterns. Cut to the four guarding a farm gate as we hear hoofs.

The broadest and oldest one shouts out: ‘Who are you? The men don’t let hobbits ride nowadays.’

Cut to an armoured Sam walking from Bill: ‘It’s me, Sam Gamgee, I’ve come back.’

Cut to Tom Cotton peering forward: ‘So you are. I should’a passed you in the street in that gear. We all thought you were dead bar Rosie.’ Sam joins them and shakes hands.

Sam: ‘That I aint nor Mr Frodo nor the others. We’re back and we are raising the Shire to clear out all those ruffians.’

Tom claps him on the back and rubs his hand: ‘Good, good, then we must be in it too. We’ve been itching for trouble to start all this year but I’ve had the wife and Rosie to think of. Those Big Folk don’t stop at nothing. Come on lads, let’s go. Bywater is up.’

Sam: ‘Where are Mrs Cotton and Rosie then?’

Tom, grinning: ‘My young Nibs is with them but you can go and help if you’ve a mind to.’ The Cotton boys are already running off.
Cut to a young hobbit at the top of the farmhouse steps holding a shaking pitchfork out.

Cut to Sam running up towards the steps: ‘Don’t try to prod me with that Nibs, I’ve a mail shirt on. It’s me, Sam Gamgee.’ Cut to Rosie and her mother pulling Nibs out of the way. Cut to the two hobbit women facing Sam.
He is suddenly at a loss: ‘Er, good evening Mrs Cotton. Hullo Rosie.’

Rosie: ‘Hello Sam. They said you were dead but I’ve been expecting you since the Spring. You haven’t hurried have you?’

Sam, put on the back foot: ‘No, well, I’m hurrying now. We’re setting about the ruffians in the Shire. I’ve got to get back to Mr Frodo but I wanted to see how you were.’

Rosie puts her hands on her hips: ‘Be off with you then. If you’ve been looking after Mr Frodo all this time, what do you want to leave him for now that things look dangerous?’ Sam opens and closes his mouth at this but cannot answer. He looks at Mrs Cotton for support then nods and turns to go down the steps. Rosie follows him down and touches his shoulder to stop him.

Rosie: ‘You look fine Sam but take care of yourself and come straight back.’ They exchange shy smiles.
Cut to a large bonfire lighting up the night at the crossroads. Tom Cotton is on his own feeding it with sticks. We hear a tramping of boots and he looks up. Cut to a score of men armed with clubs stamping down the road.

Cut to the leader pushing Tom Cotton away from the fire: ‘Oy! What do you think you are doing?’

Cotton: ‘I was going to ask you that. This isn’t your country and you aren’t wanted.’

The man turns: ‘Drag him off to the Lock-holes and give him a few knocks to keep him quiet.’ Cut to the band of men moving forward then stopping suddenly and looking around. Cut to a high view looking down and out of the shadows a hundred or so hobbits emerge with hammers, axes, staves and bows. Cut to a slow track along the determined hobbit faces that include both Robin Smallburrow but also the leader of the Shirrifs..
Cut to Merry stepping into the light from the fire in his Rohan armour.

Merry: ‘I told you before to leave. You stand in the light and archers cover you. Put down your weapons.’ Cut to the leader and he looks contemptuous. He grins, pulls out a heavy knife and breaks into a run. Cut to him collapsing at Merry’s feet with several arrows in him. Cut to the other men throwing down their clubs and knives. Cut to hobbits prodding a roped line of men forward with pitchforks.
Cut to Mrs Cotton and Rosie cutting bread and cheese in their farm kitchen for the travellers and the Cottons who are all sitting down round a long table. Candles are on the table and a large pot is bubbling and steaming on a cooking range.

Tom to Rosie: ‘Sam went off to bring his gaffer back here for safety Rose.’,
then to the others: ‘I reckon there’s not above three hundred of these men in the entire Shire. I expect this lot will have sent word to the ones at Waymeet but they can’t trouble us till morning.’,
then to Frodo: ‘See when you sold Bag End to Lotho and his mother Lobelia it turned out he had been buying mills and inns and farms all over the Shire. Where he got his money, I’ve no idea. First the leaf in the Southfarthing got sent away and that run short then a lot of the food went too; wagon-loads of it, enough to feed an army. That made for a hard winter. Then Lotho brought those men in, felling trees and building these awful houses and shacks everywhere. Old Sandyman’s mill was knocked down and that terrible thing put in its place and now his son Ted just oils the wheels there. They don’t grind corn there no more, it’s all hammering and iron-works. The filth from it fouls the water all the way to the Brandywine. It’s as if they want to turn the Shire into a desert. The men he brought in started lording it about. If a hobbit got angry or spoke out they got dragged off to the tunnels at Michel Delving: the Lock-Holes they started calling them. Now this Sharky is here, it’s even worse. They burn out the hobbit holes or dig them up. Hack and burn and now it’s come to killing.’

One of Tom’s sons joins in: ‘They even took old Lobelia to the Lock-Holes when she went for one of the ruffians with her umbrella.’

Tom: ‘Yes, they took others we miss more but she showed more spirit than most.’
Cut to Sam helping his arthritic old gaffer in the door and across to the fire near the table to warm up.

The Gaffer: ‘Good evening Mr Baggins. I’m glad to see you back but I’ve a bone to pick. While you were traipsing around foreign parts chasing Black Men up mountains, if my boy can be believed, they’ve upped and dug up my home in Bagshot Row and ruined my taters too.’ His voice catches a little.

Frodo rises out of politeness: ‘I am very sorry Mr Gamgee. I will do my best to make amends.’

The Gaffer nods: ‘I trust my Sam has behaved hisself.’

Frodo: ‘Indeed Mr Gamgee. Your Sam is now one of the most famous people in all the lands, even as far as over the Great River.’ Rosie gives Sam a look of admiration and he flashes a quick look of gratitude to Frodo.

The Gaffer gives Sam a look up and down: ‘That takes a lot of believing. I see he’s been mixing in strange company.’ He pokes at Sam. ‘I don’t hold with wearing ironmongery, whether it wears well or no.’ Cut to Frodo smiling.
Cut to morning light at the Bywater crossroads. Sam and Frodo stand with Tom Cotton and his sons. Cut to Pippin riding in front of a large band of hobbit archers. He jumps off his pony. Cut to him joining Frodo, Sam and the Cottons.

Pippin: ‘Here’s a hundred good archers from the Tookland.’ Cut to Merry galloping down another road towards them. He pulls his pony to a halt and jumps off too.

Merry calling out: There’s a big band coming from Waymeet, a hundred strong and more joining them. They are fire-raising as they come.’

Cut to Tom: ‘This lot won’t stay to talk. They’ll kill if they can. There’ll be fighting before it’s settled Mr Frodo.’ Frodo looks around sadly.
Cut to a large band of men carrying smoking torches, clubs, swords and axes. They stamp down a lane shouting and jeering and laughing. Behind them we see drifts of smoke. They pass a hobbit house and light the low thatched roof to laughter and cheers.

I don't suppose you'd consider including the scene where Lobelia gives them what-for when she gets arrested? Maybe as a flashback?

Hmmm, I do have a very minor Lobelia moment coming up. I can't promise exactly but perhaps I could tweak it a little.

Without giving anything away yet I have had to trim just a little to fit the story to the time constraints. Nothing crucial but I wrote something in then had to cut it out reluctantly.

The Battle of Bywater!



Cut to the camera following behind them along a sunken lane. Something stops the march and at the back they start jostling and shouting. Cut to the front and just round a bend is an upturned cart. Cut to the lane behind the men and hobbits push out more carts camouflaged with greenery. Cut to the mass of men looking up at the low clipped hedges at the top of the banks and all along them are lines of hobbit archers. Cut to the leader with an old orc helmet and thick curved sword scowling and looking about him. Cut to Merry jumping up on to the cart.

Merry: ‘You are in our trap. Drop your weapons.’
Cut to a group of men at the back bursting past the barricade and striking hobbits down. Some of them fall to arrows. Cut to a dozen running away down the lane. Cut to a hobbit blowing a horn. He hears an answering call in reply and nods grimly. Cut to men climbing the banks or falling back with arrows in them. Cut to a field and men break through the hedge and start to flail about them. Some fall to axe blows to the legs. Cut to Merry jumping down from the cart and joining Pippin to run up the bank. Cut to the men banded together driving back a thin line of hobbits with blows. Some hobbits start to waver and look around to escape. Cut to Merry running across the field and shouting. He stops for a moment and makes a circular arm gesture to Pippin behind him. Cut to Merry looking up at the leader with his orc helmet and broad curved blade. The man looks down on Merry with contempt and brings his weapon down hard on him. Merry raises his shield at a slant to guard his head and the sword slides off it and sticks in the ground. Merry thrusts his sword in the ruffian’s chest and watches him tumble to the ground. He looks back then backs away. Cut to Pippin directing a circle of archers around the remaining group of men. Cut to the men throwing their weapons down. Cut to the men kneeling down as hobbits tie their wrists. Cut to a distressed older hobbit kneeling by a body of a young hobbit then rising in rage and taking an axe. Cut to the roped and kneeling men looking fearful. Cut to Frodo physically restraining the distressed hobbit and shaking his head until the axe is lowered.
Cut to a view of scattered dead bodies in the field. The camera pans to the line of roped men being led away then it pans further to the four friends and Tom Cotton.

Frodo sighs: ‘I suppose we have to deal with Lotho now.’ Cut to the four crossing the bridge by the massive brick mill, already streaked with grime and graffiti. Behind them Tom leads a band of hobbit archers. Cut to severed stumps along the road. Cuts to several outlet pipes discharging coloured muds into the water; to the demolished Grange with lean-to sheds and tarpaulins rigged from the shell of the broken walls. Cut to a gaping quarry below the Bag End hill again full of rough wooden tarred shacks. Cut to the felled Party Tree.

Cut to Sam: ‘They’ve dug up Bagshot Row! My home is gone! And they’ve even cut down the Party Tree.’
Cut to grimy hobbits coming out of the mill and sheds. Cut to narrow passageways between leaning sheds that are full of broken pots and barrels and animal bones. Rats run over them. Cut to Bag End’s door hanging off its hinges and defaced by graffiti. Cut to the four friends looking about them in the parlour of Bag End. It is full of filth and rubbish and broken machinery. The window is broken and the panelling pulled away from the wall. Pippin is covering his mouth and nose. Sam is crying and Frodo is sombre. Cut to the four of them in the hallway. Bilbo’s map lies trodden on the ground and Sam lifts it up.

Sam, sniffing back tears: ‘This is worse than Mordor.’ Frodo puts his arm round Sam’s shoulder.

Frodo: ‘Yes Sam, one of the last works of Mordor. Saruman thought he worked for himself but all the time he was the servant of Sauron.’

We hear a new voice: ‘But how else could I welcome you here properly?’

Frodo looks up with a look of comprehension: ‘Sharky!’

Cut to Saruman framed as he bends and looks inside the door with a self satisfied look on his face. Cut to Saruman seen from outside as the hobbits come to the door.

Saruman: ‘So you have heard the name? My people called me that in Isengard. A sign of affection perhaps? You hobbit lordlings make me laugh. Travelling with all those great people, so secure and pleased with yourselves. You thought you could just amble back home and have a quiet time. My home could be wrecked but no one could touch yours. You thought Gandalf would look after you. Hah! Not he! When his tools have done their task he drops them. Well. I have got ahead of you and taught you a lesson. One ill turn deserves another.’

Cut to Frodo looking up sadly: ‘If that is a pleasure then I pity you but it will be memory only. Go now. You will never return.’
Cut to Tom Cotton and the Tookland archers. By now they are surrounded by a restive crowd of hobbits. They shake their fists.

‘Don’t let him go!’ ‘He’s a murderer!’ ‘Kill him!’
Cut to Saruman turning from Frodo and his friends to face the crowd.

Saruman in a commanding growl: ‘Kill him? Are there enough of you my brave little hobbits? Do you think I have lost all my powers? If any of you even tries to strike me they shall be accursed. If but a drop of my blood touches the Shire it will wither and never be healed. Your stunted little minds have no idea what I am or where I am from.’
Frodo walks past Saruman and puts his arms out to calm the hobbits and to protect him.

Frodo: ‘Do not be frightened of him. He has no power now save his voice. He will try to daunt you or deceive you if you let him. But he is not to be slain. You cannot meet revenge with revenge. It heals nothing. Saruman, you must go.’

Saruman looks around with loathing then whistles with his fingers: ‘Worm!’
Cut to Grima scuttling out of a nearby lop-sided shed with a sack over his back. The camera follows him as he sidles up to Saruman. He looks fearfully at the crowd then at Saruman.

Saruman: ‘These fine lordlings are turning us adrift again. So be it. Follow me Worm.’
Cut to the hobbits opening a passage in their midst for the two to pass through. Cut back to Saruman and as he passes Frodo his hand comes out of his cloak and we see a brief flash of metal and hear a chink as he punches Frodo in the chest. A brief cut to a broken stiletto blade spinning on the ground at Frodo’s feet. Cut to Saruman examining the useless knife hilt in disbelief as Sam and Merry both run up and hook his legs from him and push him to the ground. Sam pulls out his sword but Frodo catches his arm. Other hobbits run up with axes and again Frodo pushes them away. He holds out his arms to shield Saruman as he rises.

Frodo: ‘No. You must not kill him. See, I am unhurt. He was great once, of a noble kind that we should not dare to raise our hands against. His cure is beyond us but I would spare him in the hope he may be healed one day.’

Saruman brushes himself down and stares sourly at Frodo: ‘You have grown, yes grown very much. You are wise and cruel. Now I must go in bitterness and in debt to your mercy. I hate it and you.’ He pauses and looks Frodo up and down. ’Do not expect me to wish you health and a long life for you will have neither. But it will not be my doing, I merely foretell what will come.’ Cut to Frodo’s face.
Cut to Saruman almost at the end of the avenue of hobbit archers. He turns and gestures abruptly. Cut to Wormtongue starting to follow reluctantly. Frodo catches his arm.

Frodo: ‘You need not follow him Grima. I know of no evil you have done to me. You can rest till you are stronger then go your own way.’

Cut to Saruman turning and laughing: ‘No evil you say? Do you know where Lotho is? Will you tell them Worm? No, I expect not. Worm killed your Lotho; stabbed him in his sleep. Did you bury him Worm? He has been very hungry lately you know. No, Worm is not really nice, better to leave him to me.’

Cut to Wormtongue running up and pawing at Saruman’s cloak: ‘You made me do it.’

Saruman: ‘You always do what Sharky says don’t you? Well then, follow me.’ He kicks Wormtongue in the face and turns and walks off. Wormtongue rises and looks at the cold faces of the hobbits then pulls out a knife. Hobbits start to fit arrows to their bowstrings as Wormtongue chases after Saruman, leaps upon his back, pulls back his head and strokes the blade across his throat. He jumps over the falling body but a hail of arrows strike his back and he staggers and pitches forward.
Cut to Frodo and his friends standing around Saruman’s body. A thin grey rope of mist climbs and wavers upwards. The camera follows it up and it stays still for a moment then we hear a sudden gust of wind and it disperses. Cut to the flesh of Saruman’s face crumbling into dust and a cloak is thrown over the spectacle. Cut to Frodo and his friends.

Frodo: ‘To think it should end here.’

Sam, looking around: ‘I shan’t call it the end till we have cleared up all the mess.’

And here is the final instalment! This enterprise started here on B77 after wishful discussions about a long purist version. I wrote the first proper episode way back in July 2005 and then got stuck trying to deal with Gandalf's long absence. In fact it took about 18 months before I produced my version of The Shadow of the Past. After that I believe I found a workable 'voice' and it took another 18 months (roughly) to write the remaining 29 episodes. I hope it has been as enjoyable to read as it has been to write.




Cut to several scenes of renewal. First a thinner Fatty Bolger and others come out of a hole to cheers from onlookers. They are dressed in prison clothes and they blink in the light as their shackles are unlocked. Next an aged Lobelia totters out to louder cheers. Frodo meets her and embraces her and she bursts into tears. Frodo smiles and turns to Pippin who produces an umbrella from behind his back. Frodo gives it ceremoniously to Lobelia who brandishes it up in the air to even louder cheers. Cut next to a chain of hobbits taking rubbish from the doorway of Bag End. Cut to the tall chimney of the mill collapsing among the half demolished walls. Cut to a line of holes being dug into the side of the quarry as the gaffer watches. Cut to Sam and Frodo walking past a thicket of tree stumps.

Sam: ‘What about the trees? Not even the children will see the Shire like it used to be.’ Frodo rests his arm on Sam’s shoulder.

Frodo: ‘Have you forgotten the Lady Galadriel so soon?’ Sam’s face lights up.

Sam: ‘Oh, you mean her box.’ He fumbles in his coat and takes out the small box. Cut to a close-up of the open box nestling in his hand. A small nut with a lacy silvery skin lies in a fine grey sand.
We hear Sam’s voice: ‘What shall I do with it?’

Frodo’s voice: ‘Use it sparingly. I expect every grain has a virtue.’
Fade to a well muffled Sam by a row of tree stumps as rain and leaves blow past him. He puts a pinch from his box in a hole then heels in a sapling on top of it. Cut to him pushing a cart laden with saplings up a bare lane as a few flakes of snow drift down. Cut to a close-up of Sam’s grimy fingers lifting the nut from the almost empty box. Cut to Sam kneeling and looking at the nut between his fingers and then pushing it into some freshly dug soft earth near the stump of the Party Tree. He sprinkles a pinch of the dust over the sowing then he stands and looks into the distance. Cut to a snow scene and smokes rising from the roofs of hobbit holes and houses. Cut to the Party Field and the stump of the Party Tree. The camera zooms forward to the small patch of dug earth and in accelerated motion we see a tiny shoot emerge as weather speeds past. Snows come and go and it rises and unfolds its first leaves above frosty grass. Cut to the sapling now about three foot tall and unfolding a modest bunch of golden flowers. Spring daisies and buttercups are sprinkled around the field.
Cut to the camera approaching Bag End and up to a window. Dissolve to Frodo sweating and shaking and wide-eyed in bed, clutching the silver star-burst of the Evenstar in his hand.
Frodo: ‘No, it is gone for ever. All is dark and empty. I can never be healed.’
Cut to Frodo sitting outside in his garden at a table. The birds are singing but he is subdued and covered by a blanket. Sam comes up with two mugs and hands one to Frodo then sits down too.

Sam: ‘I know I have been busy up and down the Shire for a bit Mr Frodo. Have you been all right while I’ve been gone?’ Frodo nods. Sam looks awkward.
Sam: ‘It’s Rosie you see. I hadn’t spoken if you understand because I had to go with you but now I’m back I have spoken and I won’t be able to be here much longer.’

Frodo: That is easy Sam. I have plenty of room here in Bag End for a family. Both of you can move in here with me as soon as you marry.’
Cut to a tracking shot of Sam and Rosie walking up to Bag End with hobbits throwing flowers over them. The tall figures of Merry and Pippin in their exotic uniforms hold their swords up high either side of the Bag End doorway to form a guard of honour. Frodo waits inside the door to welcome them in.
Cut to a few brief scenes of an abundant summer in the Shire with golden harvests and laden fruit trees with some feel of a Samuel Palmer painting.
Cut to Frodo writing in his study with stacks of paper around him. A pregnant Rosie comes in and puts a steaming cup near his hand. She tickles him under the chin and goes out giggling. Frodo smiles and stretches and massages his hands.
Fade to Frodo sitting between Rosie and Sam and holding a little baby.

Sam: ‘She’ll be called Elanor. Do you remember those yellow flowers in Lothlorien?’
Cut to Sam entering the darkened study. Cut to Frodo with his head on his desk and his hand clutching the Evenstar. The stub of the candle on his desk has almost burnt out.

Frodo in a small voice: ‘I am wounded Sam with knife and sting and tooth and weary from carrying a long burden. It will never heal!’ Sam kneels and puts his arm around him.
Fade to scenes of an autumnal Shire. The leaves on the trees are turning to gold and yellow and red. Cut to a deep blue sky and gulls wheel around and call. Cut to a few leaves drifting down.
Cut to the parlour of Bag End. Frodo sits with little Elanor on his lap. Sam stands patiently while Rosie is on her knees adjusting a coat she is making for him.

Frodo: ‘Rose, could you spare Sam for a few days? I know he can’t go far now but I would like him to see me off on a journey. I promise he will come back safe.’
Cut to Rosie on her knees with a mouthful of pins. Sam looks at her for approval. She looks carefully at Frodo then up at Sam and nods. Cut to Sam standing by Frodo’s desk. Frodo stacks several thick volumes up.

Sam: ‘You’ve kept at it then?’

Frodo: ‘I’ve almost finished it Sam. The final pages are for you.’ He passes over the volumes.
Cut to Rosie hugging Frodo tightly at the gate to Bag End as Sam waits upon Bill. Cut to a close-up of them.

Rose, quietly: ‘Thank you for all you have done for my Sam.’ Her eyes show tears.
Cut to Frodo and Sam’s ponies walking along a woodland track as the light fails.
Frodo sings softly to the melody of the final bars of ‘Jerusalem’:
‘And though I oft have passed them by
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.’

Cut to the darkening track ahead and a golden glow lights it up at the end. We hear the soft sounds of Elven instruments and then the song to Elbereth that we heard at the beginning of the adventure. A white horse appears and Gildor once again rides towards them. Several voices join in interweaving melodies. Cut to Elrond and Galadriel halting their horses alongside the small ponies of the two hobbits.

Galadriel: ‘You have used my gift well Sam.’ A small pony rides up bearing a well wrapped up Bilbo.

Bilbo: ‘Hullo Frodo. I am ready for a long journey now. Are you coming?’

Frodo: ‘Yes, the Ring-bearers should go together.’

Cut to Sam, looking about in confusion: ‘I thought you were going to Rivendell.’ Cut back to the hobbits.

Frodo: ‘No Sam, we go to the Grey Havens and then over the Great Sea.’

Sam, biting his lip: ‘And I can’t come?’

Frodo: ‘Not yet, not further than the Grey Havens. You still have so much to enjoy and be and do. You cannot be forever torn in two. But your time may come; for you were a Ring-bearer too.’

Sam: ‘After all you’ve done. I thought you would enjoy the Shire for years.’

Frodo: ‘I have been too deeply hurt. The Shire has been saved but not for me. Have your family Sam and keep alive the memory of the Age that has gone. Come with us now.’
Cut to Sam looking up at the Elf-Lords then looking down and hiding his face.
Fade to a distant view of the procession riding over open downs towards a tall white tower. Cut to another long view of them riding along the side of a long firth as we hear the sound of gulls. Cut to furled sails on swaying masts and the sound of slapping ropes. The camera pulls back to show Gandalf standing by Shadowfax on the quayside. The camera follows him as he walks up to Elrond and Galadriel and the hobbits. Cut to a close-up of their three hands clasping the wrist of the other in a triangular shape. We see clearly the three Elven-Rings on their hands. Cut to Pippin and Merry running from their ponies. Pippin reaches Frodo and hugs him.

Pippin: ‘You tried once before to give us the slip and failed.’ He breaks into crying. Merry and Sam look at each other sorrowfully.

Cut to Gandalf: ‘Now on the shores of the Great Sea comes the end of our fellowship. I will not say do not weep for not all tears are an evil.’
Cut to the hobbits hugging Frodo and crying. Then Galadriel takes Frodo’s hand and leads him to the ship and Gandalf accompanies Bilbo and helps him up. Elrond and other Elves are already on board with Shadowfax. Cut to the masts again and the sails are unfurled and belly out in a breeze. Cut to the ropes being cast off from the quay. Cut to Sam, Merry and Pippin standing by a tall bearded Elf. Cut to a closer view of them and they look out with wet eyes. Cut to the boat leaving the firth into the open sea. Cut to a long shot of the small boat rising and falling on the swell. Cut to Frodo standing by Gandalf and moving with the motions of the craft. Low sunlight catches their faces and the sky behind them is dappled with pink clouds. Frodo looks forward in expectation and a high ethereal singing is heard.
Fade out.
Fade in to Sam, Merry and Pippin riding silently. Cut to the three at a fork in the road. They nod to one another and Sam leaves them to ride down one road. Cut to Sam riding alone up the hill to Bag End. It is dusk and the yellow light spills from the round windows.
Cut to Sam standing by the open door. Rose smiles across at him and places a finger on his lips. He hugs her.
Cut to Sam sitting in a deep chair as Elanor is placed on his lap. He looks up at Rose with an open face, not knowing what to say. He and Rose look at each another silently for a moment. Sam draws a deep breath.

‘Well, I’m back.’

A slow fade from the three to black.

Closing credits.

May 16 2008